Lieutenant Colonel Sorin Bacila, PR officer of the Romanian contingent in Iraq, transmitted the following:

The ceremony of the end of the mission for half (50 people) of the Irak 3 Military Police Company was organized Sunday, January 23, 2005 in Camp Mittica near Nassiriyah. They should return home at the beginning of the next week.

On this occasion, Colonel Paolo Nardone, commander of the MSU Regiment (Multinational Specialized Unit) handed to the Romanians the diplomas and the medals for participation in the Antica Babilonia 5 mission and said: You were real brothers in arms for us. You engaged in the most dangerous missions, and you fulfilled them successfully. When the situation required, you were the first to come to help your colleagues in danger. Thank you for your contribution to the democratization and normalization of life for the Iraqi population.

Between July 2004 and January 2005 the Military Policemen fulfilled 170 patrol missions, 172 escort missions of humanitarian convoys, 90 missions of traffic control points on the main arteries of communication in the area of responsibility, 42 guard missions at Camp Mittica, 159 monitoring missions of the local police in Nassiriyah, 9 missions of medical assistance and 87 missions of intervention.

The other 50 military policemen are continuing the mission until February together with the half of the Military Police Company Irak 4.

MoND Press Office